Highlights at People's Palace

The People’s Palace looks at the development of Glasgow and
the story of its people from 1700’s to late 20th century. Covering
everything from Tobacco Lords to Trade Unions and everything in between there
are objects, images and personal stories revealing the history of this great
city.

Some of the highlights are:

Billy Connolly’s Banana
Boots

These famous boots were designed and made for Glasgow
comedian Billy Connolly in 1975 by the Glasgow pop artist Edmund Smith. The
boots made their first appearance on stage in August of that year, at the Music
Hall in Aberdeen.

The Single End

The Single End can be found in a special gallery that tells
the story of housing in Glasgow, and how it has changed from the 18th to the
20th century.

Our reconstruction shows a typical single-roomed house that
a 1930s working class family would have lived in: Just one room where everyone
cooked, ate, slept and washed in.

Visitors can experience the cramped conditions, hear an
account of what it was like to live in a single end, and even smell some scents
associated with life there, including carbolic soap and gas.

Dancing at the Barrowlands

‘The dancing’ has long been a favourite pastime in Glasgow,
and the Glasgow Barrowlands Ballroom – now a much-loved venue for rock concerts
– was once the leading dance hall in Scotland.

Our display pays homage to a place that generations of
Glaswegians flocked to. Here you can try out your dance moves, or see some
objects linked to the Barrowlands by opening a Take Your Pick box. You can see
outfits that would have been worn by a young fashionable couple in the 1950s –
a swell suit and a beautiful hot pink dress; styles and colours very much in
vogue at the time.

The Steamie​

Public Baths and Wash Houses opened across the city in the
early 20th Century. They were set up with stalls, where women woul​d
bring the weekly washing to clean by hand. It was also a place where women
could catch up with friends and gossip, giving rise to the phrase “you’ll be
the talk of the steamie!”

Our display shows the small stall space, and gives you an
idea of the equipment used to get clothes clean before electrical gadgets made
it easier.